MLSsoccer.com continue our look back at the 2014 season that was for all 19 clubs in Major League Soccer, starting with the Montreal Impact and ending with the MLS Cup-winning LA Galaxy. We'll also take a peek at the two new clubs coming in and pour one out for departed friends Chivas USA. You can find the 2014 Year in Review HERE, and the club-by-club history of MLS HERE.
2014 record: 20-10-4 (64 pts.); 65 GF / 50 GA
Even with a disappointing exit from the Western Conference Championship at the hands of the eventual MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy, 2014 can still be considered a mighty successful year for the Seattle Sounders.
They said it...
Sigi Schmid on the team's decision to retain him following 2013's bitter end:
"I think it was a great decision. I was very much in support of that decision.”
Midfielder Brad Evans on the playoff loss to LA:
"The reality is, as you get older, you tend to allow yourself to look at the season as a whole. [The season] was a success. It would be more of a disappointment if we didn’t capture the Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield and had squeaked into the playoffs and found ourselves in this position.”
Majority owner Joe Roth:
"I’m old fashioned. In every country in the world except the United States [the Supporters’ Shield] means we won.”
After nosediving down the stretch in 2013 and being unceremoniously dispatched in the conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs by their Cascadia Cup rival Portland Timbers, the Sounders rebounded in resounding fashion this season – to the tune of 20 regular-season wins, a US Open Cup trophy and a Supporters’ Shield title. Overall, not a bad haul for head coach Sigi Schmid & Co., even if they did fall just short of their ultimate dream of an MLS Cup and historic treble.
The Sounders seem to be in prime position to remain a Western Conference power, with many key components of last year’s squad in line to return for 2015. Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who have refined their on-field chemistry and created one of the most dangerous forward duos in MLS, are each locked in on multi-year contracts. Perennial All-Star midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and three-time Defender of the Year center back Chad Marshall are also in line to slot in to their regular roles, giving the Sounders rock-solid stability right up the spine of the field.
But make no mistake, the Seattle front office – which looks like it will soon include Real Salt Lake architect Garth Lagerwey – will have to figure out how to replace some key losses and add depth to their roster if the Sounders want to replicate last season’s success, and even take it one step further.
Best Moment of the Year
In a season filled with historic moments and milestones, Seattle’s 2-0 Supporters’ Shield-clinching victory over the Galaxy on Oct. 25 has to be top of the list.
The game was set up for theatrics, with the Shield coming down to the regular season’s final game between the top two teams in the Western Conference. It was a tense, heart-pounding affair for the opening 84 minutes of scoreless action, with the Galaxy applying pressure but finding themselves unable to crack Seattle’s backline for a go-ahead goal.
Then, Seattle midfielder Marco Pappa (who had entered the game as a substitute just minutes earlier) took a quick restart off a free kick from Martins up the left side and slotted his shot past diving LA goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, giving the Sounders the 1-0 lead and igniting a ballistic celebration at CenturyLink Field.
Pappa sealed the deal in stoppage time after stealing the ball from Penedo and chipping in the dagger, officially giving the Sounders 64 points on the season and their first Shield in franchise history. The magnitude of the game combined with the historic and dramatic result, make the choice for top moment a no-brainer.
Worst Moment of the Year
Following their Supporters’ Shield victory, Seattle found themselves with yet another historic opportunity against the familiar obstacle of the Galaxy in the Western Conference Championship. But this time, the stakes were even higher.
If they could win the MLS Cup, the Sounders would have won the Shield, the US Open Cup and the MLS Cup in the same season, an unprecedented accomplishment that would have undoubtedly vaulted them into the discussion as the best team the league has ever seen.
Unfortunately for Rave Green fans, the historic achievement wasn’t to be. The Sounders were bounced by the Galaxy, losing out on this year’s newly implemented away-goals rule. After LA's narrow 1-0 win in the first leg at StubHub Center, Seattle surged out to a 2-0 first half lead in the second leg at C-Link, taking a 2-1 aggregate advantage. But shortly after halftime, LA midfielder Juninho blasted a low shot past goalkeeper Stefan Frei that deflected off the left goalpost and into the Seattle net in the 54th minute. Despite that 2-1 victory, the Sounders were sent packing from the postseason once again, left deflated and wondering what could have been.
Best Goal
Martins established himself as a walking highlight reel and MVP candidate for the Sounders this season, scoring a team-leading 17 goals to go along with 13 assists. But a stunning chipped goal at CenturyLink Field against the San Jose Earthquakes on May 17 stood out as perhaps his most jaw-dropping moment.
After taking a feed from Gonzalo Pineda into the San Jose penalty box, Martins swatted a chip shot from a seemingly impossible angle over Earthquakes ‘keeper Jon Busch to give Seattle an early lead.
Martins scored several others that could have made a claim, but we’ll give the honors to what ended up being voted the AT&T MLS Goal of the Year.
Best Move
This one is pretty easy. After spending the first 10 years of his career with the Columbus Crew, the Sounders revamped their backline with the acquisition of Marshall last offseason.
To say it paid dividends would be an understatement.
Marshall was dominant in 2014, romping his way to the third MLS Defender of the Year award of his career – a league record. On a team mostly known for the goalscoring antics of Martins and Dempsey, Marshall’s contributions to Seattle’s defense were arguably just as valuable.
Quotable
"There’s nothing I want to do more than bring an MLS Cup to the city of Seattle because the fans deserve it and their support has been phenomenal ... There’s always going to be people who say ‘you need a new coach,’ ‘get rid of this guy,’ ‘someone else is a better fit.’ That’s just part of business, you hear that all the time. For me, I want to win a championship here, I want to win an MLS Cup. This year, we’re a team that won five trophies in six years. There aren’t a lot of clubs who have won five trophies in six years in this league." -- Schmid, after signing a contract extension in early December
Three Offseason Needs
1.
Another man in the back:
Even with Marshall’s lockdown play, Seattle’s backline probably faces the most questions out of any group heading into next year.
Zach Scott
, who became Schmid’s top option beside Marshall at the latter end of the season, underwent offseason foot surgery and is reportedly mulling, at age 34, whether he wants to return.
Djimi Traore
has quietly retired,
Eriq Zavaleta
has been cut adrift after a season on loan at Chivas USA, while neither
Damion Lowe
nor Jimmy Ockford played a single minute as rookies. Even if Scott returns, a solid, veteran option to play beside Marshall has to be on the shopping list.
2. Who will replace DeAndre Yedlin? The sale of Yedlin to Tottenham Hotspur creates probably the most conspicuous gap Sounders will have to plug. Not many right backs possess his unique skillset – blazing fast speed – and versatility. In addition to his developing defensive prowess, Yedin’s ability to push forward and create opportunities with his ever-improving crosses added an entirely new dimension to Seattle’s attack. It's one that won’t be easily replaced, and could lead to small but necessary tactical adjustments.
3. Backup goalkeeper: After taking heat early in the season, Stefan Frei evolved into a strength of the squad, meaning the Sounders are set with their number one ‘keeper. However, Frei has had durability concerns during his career. With the retirement of backup Marcus Hahnemann and no other 'keepers on the roster, look for the Sounders to track down another viable second-string option to slide in behind Frei this offseason. The answer could come via the SuperDraft, which bosts a surfeit of top 'keeper talent.
